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SWG News
New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
A Sense of History: Crossroads
In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
Cultus Dispatches: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data gives some insight into what connections, if any, exist between fanfiction and original fiction.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Anca'
[Writing] I Stood Aside by Flora-lass
Maedhros' horror at the burning of the ships. Inspired by a painting (see notes).
[Reference] Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[Writing] Words of Wisdom by AdmirableMonster
One or more drabbles about Pengolodh and his babysitter Salgant.
[Writing] Les Mots de Sagesse by AdmirableMonster
Plusieurs petites histoires qui parle de Pengolodh et Salgant pendant des moments differents.
[Writing] "Tengwar" ficlets by chrissystriped
Fics written for the "Tengwar" challenge.
[Writing] Upon Cirith Thoronath by StarSpray
A horrid cacophony of cries erupts ahead of them, as orcs appear—up the cliff on hidden ledges, on the path, with bows and swords. And behind them rises a figure of darkness and flame. The heat rolls down the path over them, bringing the smell of burning flesh and bitter fear with it. Someone…
Current Challenge
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Middle-earth Museum
Stroll the halls of an imaginary Middle-earth Museum and choose one (or more!) objects from our prompt list to inspire the creation of a fanwork. Read more ...
New in References
Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
[]While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[]
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Waybread (The Waybredlik) by Himring
[]Lembas speaks out.
[Series] Apr 1st Stories by Uvatha the Horseman
[]Once a year on April 1st, a canon character from LOTR or the Silmarillion gets pranked.
[Writing] Crossing Forest River by Dawn Felagund
[]Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Around the World and Web
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
May 2024 Calls for Papers
Conferences and publications that have open calls for papers in May 2024.
Angbang Week 2024
All new, unpublished fanworks about the Angbang (Melron) ship are welcome during this Tumblr event, running 6-12 May 2024.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
(Not So) Cheap Sunglasses by UnicornsInSpace
In a modern/all human AU, Celeborn meets Galadriel while going to eat with his family and is smitten.
| Major Characters: Celeborn, Galadriel, Lúthien Tinúviel, Melian |
| Major Relationships: Celeborn/Galadriel, Celeborn & Melian, Beren/Luthien, Celeborn & Lúthien |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: New Year's Resolution, Turgon's Rock Opera |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 1, 477 |
| Posted on 19 January 2024 | Updated on 14 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
After The End by cuarthol
[F]or his father was dearer to him than the light of Valinor or the peerless works of his hands; - The Silmarillion
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Finwë |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Finwë |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Dip the Ladle, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 205 |
| Posted on 13 February 2024 | Updated on 13 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
| Major Characters: Draugluin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Illustration, Word Art |
| Genres: Adventure | Challenges: New Year's Resolution, Understory |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Posted on 11 February 2024 | Updated on 11 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (9) |
Forest-dwellers by chrissystriped
Rog helps a visitor with his prosthesis.
| Major Characters: Original Male Character(s), Rog |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Middle-earth Is Multitudes, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 649 |
| Posted on 11 February 2024 | Updated on 11 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (9) |
Herbal Aroma by Adoraincerta
When Maedhros and Elros were away, Maglor had his problem to solve with no one else but Elrond.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Elrond/Maglor |
| Genres: Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 013 |
| Posted on 9 February 2024 | Updated on 9 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Five Turning Points for Turin (drabble series) by periantari
5 key instances in Turin's tragic life
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 520 |
| Posted on 6 February 2024 | Updated on 6 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Breaking Into Light by StarSpray
Glingaereth meets the crown prince of the Noldor by chance, if chance you call it.
“All the same, sister, be careful.”
“Me?” Glingaereth said. “Careful of what?”
“Of that prince.”
“What, Fingon? If you are worried about the Noldor’s feuds, he is the one who brought them to an end.”
Limbeleth shook her head. “I can’t explain it. It isn’t that you need worry about him, but—I have an uneasy feeling about them all, and I feel also that you will be bound up in their fate somehow.”
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Unnamed Canon Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Unnamed Canon Character, Fingon/Original Character |
| Genres: Het, Romance | Challenges: Middle-earth Is Multitudes |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 5, 264 |
| Posted on 6 April 2023 | Updated on 4 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Northern Stars by Idrils Scribe
Aboard Galdor's warship, Glorfindel returns in triumph from a dangerous expedition deep into enemy territory. He has found Elrond's missing son, but all is not well: the Elf-child that was abducted by the Corsairs of Umbar is now a Man grown. War and darkness have left Elrohir deeply scarred, and he is not the mission's only casualty.
An alternate universe for the Under Strange Stars series, in which Elrohir goes with Glorfindel instead of running away from him after the events of Under Strange Stars. This story covers the events of ‘Northern Skies’, but it can be enjoyed without having read the original.
Many thanks to Grundy for all of her excellent beta-reading and brainstorming.e
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Elrohir, Elrond, Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: Elrohir & Glorfindel |
| Genres: Family, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 11 | Word Count: 29, 640 |
| Posted on 23 September 2023 | Updated on 4 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Untidy Souls by StarSpray
As the Fourth Age begins, Elu Thingol at last returns from the Halls of Mandos.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Dior, Elmo, Elu Thingol, Ingwë, Melian, Nimloth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, Het | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 6, 123 |
| Posted on 31 December 2020 | Updated on 3 February 2024 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Scion of— by stormfallen
Galadriel does not see what she wants to see in the High King.
| Major Characters: Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: Galadriel & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 216 |
| Posted on 30 January 2024 | Updated on 3 February 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
In love that we are made by stormfallen
They say there are cities far to the East and South, for those who can find them, whose entire populations slowly forgot the need for flesh and faded into memory of routine, living in their empty homes and walking their empty streets even when those homes and streets are no more.
For thousands of years the City has awaited you.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Setting as Character, Avari |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental | Challenges: Experimental, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 307 |
| Posted on 31 January 2024 | Updated on 31 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Dispossessed by stormfallen
The sons of Fëanor find their places. Or lose them.
| Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Caranthir, Celegorm, Curufin, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 202 |
| Posted on 30 January 2024 | Updated on 30 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Cerulean Shores by stormfallen
The Singer at the Shore reminisces on mornings, and meets a stranger.
| Major Characters: Maglor, Pallando |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 894 |
| Posted on 30 January 2024 | Updated on 30 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The setting of pyres by Angamaite
"...for none of the Eldalië ever hated Melkor more than Fëanor son of Finwë, who first named him Morgoth; and snared though he was in the webs of Melkor's malice against the Valar he held no converse with him and took no counsel from him."
Fëanor meets a stranger. There aren't many strangers in Tirion.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Melkor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 402 |
| Posted on 29 January 2024 | Updated on 29 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Than All the Roses of the World by StarSpray
And even after he and Lúthien settled in Tol Galen, where the air smelled of roses and pine and the nightingales sang merrily through the summertime, word of the outside word came in bits and pieces, often many years late.
| Major Characters: Beren, Lúthien Tinúviel, Morwen, Rían |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Luthien, Beren & Rían, Beren & Morwen |
| Genres: Family, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 123 |
| Posted on 28 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Assistance by Himring
Early in the Second Age, Gil-galad receives an important collaborator.
| Major Characters: Original Male Character(s), Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fluff | Challenges: Cheesy Corn Chips, Middle-earth Is Multitudes, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 182 |
| Posted on 28 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
By the eyes of beasts of prey by Angamaite
After the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, Celegorm and Curufin occasionally range far from Amon Ereb in an attempt to stem the tide of Morgoth's armies into Beleriand somewhat. This kind of idleness does not become the Oath once the Silmaril has appeared in Doriath again; Celegorm only needs a willing ear.
The academic conversation that stood at the beginning of the end.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Curufin |
| Major Relationships: Celegorm & Curufin |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Expletive Language, In-Universe Intolerance, In-Universe Racism/Ethnocentrism, Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 644 |
| Posted on 27 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
L'appel du vivre by Angamaite
Celegorm, Curufin, a balcony of Finwë's royal residence, oblique discussions of death before death became more than an abstraction. And a little bit of parkour.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Curufin |
| Major Relationships: Celegorm & Curufin |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 393 |
| Posted on 28 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Portraits of Elves by between_thepages
A collection of my portraits of various elves and the headcanons that lead to their depictions
| Major Characters: Anairë, Eärwen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Character/Portrait, Clothing, Drawing/Painting | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 28 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Portrait of Anairë by between_thepages
A portrait of Anairë, wife of Nolofinwë.
| Major Characters: Anairë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 28 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (6) |
Quantum Song by Lferion
Fingon attends a concert given by the Tirion Academic Symphony.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: New Year's Resolution, Roaring Twenties |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 204 |
| Posted on 28 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Things Tolkien Fanfiction Readers and Writers Like to Do (Other Than Fanfiction) by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Tolkien fanfiction writers and readers are involved in fandom in ways other than fanfiction. What else do they do and what patterns can we find in their preferences, using Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data?
Flames by elennalore
From an account of an enslaved Elf in Angband.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Balrogs |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Middle-earth Is Multitudes, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 203 |
| Posted on 27 January 2024 | Updated on 27 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Olwë by LadySternchen
About Olwë, the king of the Teleri in Aman, little is known, but a series of difficult events marked his life until he fades from the pages of The Silmarillion in the First Age.
Dénouement by sallysavestheday
Amrod and Aredhel shared a common ending in being killed by people they loved. Making peace with that pain in Valinor is hard.
| Major Characters: Amrod, Aredhel |
| Major Relationships: Amrod/Aredhel |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 895 |
| Posted on 21 January 2024 | Updated on 21 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
